Composition for protecting growing plants.



the sun and from frost.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WHITE, or WISNER, NEBRASKA.

COMPOSITIONFOR PROT EGTING GROWING PLANTS.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,345, dated April22, 1902.

Application filed November 19, 190

T0 all whom, it 771/6111] concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. WHITE, a citizenof the United States, and aresident of Wisner, in the county of Cunning and State of Nebraska, haveinvented a new and useful Composition of Matter for Protecting GrowingPlants, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a composition of matter to be used forprotecting young plants, trees, buds, &c., from the attacks of insects,rabbits, and the like and also for strengthening the young plants andprotecting the same against storms and droughts. My composition alsoacts as a mulch in protecting the rootlets of young trees. Thecomposition, together with the wrapping used therefor, also acts as alocal protection for the roots of trees of any age from the direct raysof It also tends to prevent thescalding and cracking of bark, thuspreventing early decay and rot, which is so common in the changeableclimates of the southwest. I find that mycomposition is especially goodin protecting apple, cherry,pear, and plum trees from the attacks ofsuch insects as cause sap-poisoning.

The preparation consists of the following ingredients, to wit: ordinaryclay, (alumina,) one hundred and twenty-eightounce's; common salt, oneounce; eucalyptus fluid, one pint; naphthalene moth-balls, twenty-four.The ingredients should be thoroughly pulverized and mixed together withsufficient water to make a paste and then spread upon thin cotton clothcut in strips to suit the size of the tree.

The eucalyptus fluid referred to consists of eucalyptus-oil dissolved inalcohol, preferably two parts of oil to fourteen of alcohol, by weight.

The mixture can be applied to young plants 1. Serial No. 82,840. (NoSpecimens.)

or trees of any age without fear of injuring the stock. When the mixtureis applied to trees, the outer edge of the wrapper is preferablyfastened by applying thereto a mixture composed of resin and linseed-oilin the proportion of three parts of resin to one part of linseed-oilmelted together. In the treatment of large trees a trowel is used toscrape off the rough bark and take out borers or other insects beforeapplying the mixture. I find that trees treated with my compositionquickly heal and take on a new growth. In applying the mixture to largetrees a good plan is to clear away the dirt from the base of the tree,apply the mixture, and then replace the dirt. Q

In many instances and particularly where rabbits are troublesome it maybe desirable to provide a crib or box, which not only offers a physicalprotection directly to the roots of the tree, but preventsdisarrangement of the composition and of the means for securing the samein position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The herein-described composition of matter,comprising clay one hundred and twentyeight ounces,common salt oneounce, eucalyptus fluid one pint and naphthalene mothballs, twenty-four.

2. The herein-described composition of matter, comprising ordinary clay,common salt, eucalyptus fluid and naphthalene.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. \VHITE.

Witnesses:

WM. EMLEY, E. C. KINZEL.

